


Spring Follies

by snowberries (moonlikeyou)



Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: 8 perspectives, Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, M/M, They're demigods, nct are satyrs, romance isnt the main focus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 15:39:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18742000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlikeyou/pseuds/snowberries
Summary: Camp half-blood shenanigans, from Chani's arrival to Taeyang and Dawon's love story- told from the perspectives of 8 different characters (including Hongki, everyone's favourite camp dog)





	Spring Follies

**Chani** ’s heart thumps loud in his ears as the demonic bull trots closer to the car, its quivering nostrils oozing lime green slime. “Don’t come any closer!” He yells, brandishing his mother’s pink umbrella at the bull, who only stomps a fiery hoof in response mere metres away. _Those karate classes I took when I was five really aren't coming in useful at times like this,_ Chani closes his eyes as he logs his brick-like algebra textbook at the bull. At least dying at the hands (hooves?) of a fire-breathing bull was kind of a cool way to die.

 

The day had started off fairly normal, Chani went to school, goofed around in class with his friends Chan and Seungmin, and was about to grab a milkshake with them after school when his mum pulled up in her battered Audi.

 

“Chani, get in the car,” His usually neat mother looked oddly frazzled, hair scraped into a messy bun. His overnight bag was in the shotgun seat, even though it was a school night and Chani was pretty sure that he didn’t have anything else planned that day.

 

“But Mum, I was about to get milkshakes with the boys,” Chani whines. He’s already 16, and having your mum pick you up after school was not cool at all. What if Lee Chaeyeon from English saw him? That would no doubt kill all chances he had of going to prom to her. (Not that he had the courage to ask, but still.)

 

“Get in, Kang Chanhee,” Chani’s mum fixes him with a steely glance, and his stomach clenches. She had the Serious Look on, the frown she wore only when Chani was in some deep shit. Why was she so mad for no reason? “Say bye to your friends now, I’m not joking.”

 

“Sorry guys, my mum says I gotta go,” Chani shrugs, watching his friends closely as they exchanged an uneasy glance. But before he can make a joke about how mums were always crazy, the car door opens, giving Chani no choice but to wave bye and slither into the car.

 

“Mum, why-” Once the car speeds off, Chani pulls on a pout, trying to get his mum to soften. “Chani, we can’t go home right now,” His mum’s hands are gripped tightly around the steering wheel, gaze darting around constantly like she’s looking out for some hidden threat. “There are people after us- dangerous people- and I have to get you to a safe place. It’s a camp where you’ll be safe with kids like you-”

 

“Kids like me? What do you mean?” Chani clings onto his seat for dear life as his mum makes a sharp turn, nearly colliding with a Blue Honda. “There’s no time to explain, love,” She says as they veer towards the direction of Long Island Beach. Chani eyes her suspiciously- she hadn’t addressed him as such ever since he turned six.

 

“It’s your father, he’s not- not human,” She splutters between gasps as the car zips between traffic at a heart-dropping speed. Chani’s jaw drops- was his sensible mother possessed? “No, Mum, Dad was a firefighter who died when I was two, that’s why we moved here from Texas,” Chani mutters, trying to make sense of everything. They’re almost on the beach now, and there’s this thundering noise behind them, sounding almost like a supersized monster truck but with hot breath.

 

Hot breath?

 

Chani turns around and comes face-to-face with a gigantic bull. “Mum!” Chani all but shrieks, grabbing his pocket knife he got from the boy scouts. “I know, I know,” His mother’s face is devoid of colour as they veer into the woods, the bull still hot on their heels. “Think, Chani. Think- remember the time you set fire to the trampoline? You’re more powerful than you think, that’s why we’re being hunted.”

 

Chani does, in fact, remember. It was his third birthday party, and he had gotten just a little too excited for his birthday presents, throwing a tantrum when his mum wouldn’t let him open them before the guests arrived. His fingers had tingled, and a terrifying clap of thunder later, the trampoline was burning.

 

“But you told me it was a cigarette the neighbours threw into our garden,” Chani mutters weakly, holding onto the car doors tightly to prevent the bull from breaking in. “That was a lie,” His mother says, swerving hard as the bull mows down a tree, “Your father was a god, that’s why-”

 

The bull tears the roof off the car, and a spare bit from the car’s interior hits Chani’s mother on the head with a sickening _thwack_. She slumps onto the car seat, unconscious.

 

That’s how Chani finds himself in a stand-off with a slime-oozing, fire-breathing bull five times his size. Both the pocket knife and his algebra textbook bounce harmlessly off the bull’s skin, and as Chani feels the bull draw closer to his mother, his fear melts away to make space for pure fury.

 

“Stay away from her, you ugly cow!” Chani jabs the umbrella at the bull with all his might, even though he knows he’s most probably going to die. The bull snorts, tearing the umbrella from Chani’s grip effortlessly, and Chani covers his mother’s body, waiting for the bull to smash his head into mush as anger courses through his veins.

 

But the blow never comes. Instead, there’s a loud clap of thunder, and a sizzling noise that follows after. Smelling smoke, Chani cracks open his eyes hesitantly to see the bull melting into a bronze puddle.

 

 _What happened? Did I do that?_ Staring at his hands in disbelief, thousands of thoughts go through Chani’s head until a moan comes from the driver’s seat. “Mum!” Chani’s voice cracks as he hurries to help his mum sit up. Even when injured and exhausted, she still looks at Chani with nothing but love and gentleness.

 

“I knew you could kill that thing, baby,” Chani’s mum’s smile is proud but bitter, “If I hadn’t interfered, maybe you would’ve been safe- with them.” “Mum, what’s going on? Everything’s over, let’s go home,” In the middle of his confusion, Chani’s mum sweeps him into a bone-crushing hug. “Mum?”

 

“They’re here for you now,” Chani’s mum says, staring at the woods in front of them, “The camp is no place for a mortal like me, you’ll have to walk this path by yourself, darling.” “What camp? Mum, what are you talking about?” Chani mumbles, bewildered, but his mum only squeezes his hands.

 

“This is where you belong, baby,” Rattling on its hinges, the car door opens, and Chani’s gently nudged out of the car, overnight bag in hand. “Call me once they allow it, and remember- you are my pride, Chani.”

 

Chani’s mum presses a wet kiss on his cheek, and she drives off in a flash, as though another monster’s after her, leaving Chani stunned and alone. What camp was his mother talking about? He was clearly in an inhabited forest, standing next to a puddle of cow demon goo. He staggers forward, but before he can get anywhere, he trips on a tree root and falls face first.

 

“Hey, hey, half-blood? Can you hear me?” Chani stirs eventually, even though it’s hard to tell how much time he’s spent passed out. There’s a guy with long-ish hair and elfish features peering at him in concern, and he’s wearing an orange t-shirt so bright it hurts his eyes. The writing on the t-shirt is in a foreign language, but as Chani stares in astonishment, the letters change shape, spelling out Camp Half-Blood. The guy’s smile is kind as he helps Chani up,”Welcome home, demigod. You’re safe now.”

 

\------

 

 **Hwiyoung** and the new guy walk back to camp in awkward silence. The new kid (Chani is his name, Hwiyoung learns, after some prodding) looks understandably terrified, clutching a green gym bag to his chest as they tread to the camp’s entrance.

 

“Wh-what is this place?” Chani stumbles back as they reach the barrier, and recognising Chani’s demigod blood, the Mist’s illusion parts to reveal the camp’s true form. “A camp for demigods,” Hwiyoung tells Chani as he eyes Peleus the dragon suspiciously. “People like us, with a Greek god as a parent.”

 

“My dad’s a Greek god?” Chani frowns, biting his bottom lip anxiously, “Like Hercules?” “Maybe you should stop staring at Peleus, strangers make him nervous,” Hwiyoung suggests, patting the dragon’s snout as he snarls at Chani, “Kinda, but judging from your powers, Hercules is probably your half-brother.”

 

“What?” Chani squeaks, turning green as Peleus bares his teeth. He looks like he’s about to pass out, so Hwiyoung reaches out to steady him, “Tough luck, man, he’s kind of a douche.” “No, no, I mean-” Chani swallows, taking a step backwards instinctively, “It’s just a lot to take in.”

 

 _I know, right_ , Hwiyoung wants to agree, he vividly remembers arriving at the Camp three years ago, confused and overwhelmed by the knowledge that his dad wasn’t a deceased postman but the god of wine and madness. It’s simply unfortunate for the both of them that no satyr had managed to escort Chani to camp and it’s up to klutzy Hwiyoung to show Chani the ropes.

 

“It’s okay, dude,” Hwiyoung claps Chani on the back lightly, careful not to touch his burnt shirt collar. “I’ll show you around.” Noticing some burns on Chani’s skin, Hwiyoung wraps the Golden Fleece around his wounds under Peleus’ watchful eyes. “You have healing powers?” Chani gasps at the sight of his wounds shimmering and disappearing as the Fleece works its magic.

 

Famous for being a shabby healer, Hwiyoung’s tempted to lie to Chani, who would probably believe him if he said he was Chani’s godly father in disguise. But then Peleus snorts, and Hwiyoung decides against it. “No, it’s the Fleece- think of it as a fluffy magical band-aid.”

 

“Wow, that’s pretty neat.” Chani cracks a tiny smile, marvelling at his freshly healed skin, and Hwiyoung whoops internally at the small success at bonding with the new camper as he places the Fleece back on the tree branches. Under Hwiyoung’s encouragement, Chani gains the courage to pat Peleus on the snout, which elicits a pleased purr from the camp’s guardian.

 

“Is there where you guys live?” Chani asks as they trudge to the Big House. Chiron would probably like to talk to the new recruit, and Hwiyoung had a faint inkling that Chani wasn’t exactly eager to climb a wall of lava right now. “Gods, no,” Hwiyoung laughs- Chani was so endearing and innocent, maybe he’d be his other best friend along with Taeyang. “Our camp director, Chiron, lives there.”

 

“Oh,” Chani frowns, opening his mouth presumably to ask another question, but then Hwiyoung spots Rowoon jogging towards them. “Hey,” It doesn’t take long for Rowoon to reach them with his lanky limbs, “You got a new demigod with you, Hwiyoung?”

 

Hwiyoung nods, smiling encouragingly at Chani who nods and introduces himself shyly. Rowoon seems to like him, beaming fondly at the new half-blood in the way he usually smiles at cute animals. “Any idea who his godly parent is?” Rowoon asks, shaking Chani’s hand, “I’d personally love another cute little brother in the Hermes cabin-”

 

“He hasn’t been claimed yet,” Hwiyoung glances at the Big House, frowning a little. Maybe he was overthinking, but- “I have a feeling it’s Zeus.” “No way, for real?” Rowoon gasps in awe as he fixes Chani with a look with part shock and part admiration. “I- I think I electrocuted a demon cow thing, but-” Chani’s nose scrunches cutely as he smells his charred shirt sleeve, “I don’t think I’m really powerful or anything.”

 

“Nonsense,” Rowoon smiles kindly at Chani, “You’ll start using your abilities in no time- but I’m afraid Chiron won’t have time to see you two right now. Youngbin just went in to talk to him.” Chani stares at the two campers blankly, while Hwiyoung groans. Youngbin was notorious for giving lengthy inspirational speeches to everyone including Chiron, and it would take some time for the centaur to deal with him.

 

“Maybe you could show Chani around?” Rowoon suggests helpfully, fiddling with his camp bracelet. “I could go in and tell Chiron about his arrival while you guys tour the camp, and I’ll fetch you guys when Youngbin’s done.” “That’s great,” Hwiyoung breathes a sigh of relief along with Chani. Even though he couldn’t possibly be more nervous than Chani, he didn’t look forward to a heart-to-heart with the aged centaur. “We’ll catch you later, you’re the best, man.”

 

“Don’t let Taeyang hear that, he’s going to revoke your BFFL status!” Rowoon laughs as he walks towards the house, leaving the duo to explore the camp. “That guy was pretty cool,” Chani notes as they head towards the cabins, breathing in the brisk air unique to the camp.

 

“Yeah, Rowoon’s nice, he’s head of the Hermes cabin, so he’s good with new kids since the cabin takes in unclaimed demigods,” Hwiyoung answers as he waves to his younger siblings over at the volleyball courts. “Better watch your belongings around him though- Hermes kids are known for breaking locks and stealing your weapons.”

 

“Really?” Chani hugs his gym bag to his chest, and he looks so tiny that Hwiyoung feels a protective urge rise inside him, “Don’t worry, he won’t try anything- he seems to like you a lot. And I’ll protect you with my cool powers if you want.” They chat about Hwiyoung’s grape-growing powers for a little (Hwiyoung’s just joking when he brags about them- there’s nothing cool about the ability to conjure premium wine grapes, really- but Chani seems astonished anyway) until they arrive at the cabin area.

 

Twenty cabins glisten under the sunset with demigods milling around here and there, and Chani seems endlessly fascinated, peering at the fancily decorated cabins, so Hwiyoung gives him a short tour, stopping at Cabin One at last.

 

“That’s the Zeus cabin, right? My- my dad?” Chani asks hesitantly as they stop in front of the cabin. It looks like a bank with pristine columns and grand brass doors, intimidating and devoid of life, compared to the other cabins, so Hwiyoung doesn’t exactly blame Chani for looking a little queasy. “Yep,” Hwiyoung tries to cheer Chani up by showing him the oak tree grove behind the cabin, sacred to Zeus and objectively the best place in camp to chill, “At least you don’t have to share with other people, though- Rowoon’s cabin has over twenty kids and his bed isn’t even long enough to fit all 192 centimetres of him.”

 

Chani giggles a little at that, so Hwiyoung counts that as a win and concludes the tour of the cabins. There’s a small altercation as Kim Hwan nearly knocks Chani over his feet on a pegasus ride, but Chani seems to take a liking to the pegasus instead, admiring its obsidian wings.

 

Hwiyoung and Chani make their way to the arena next, and it's empty except for two familiar figures, swords clanking loudly as the two campers spar. Even though both of them are covered from head to toe by protective armour, Hwiyoung knows it’s Dawon and Taeyang from their drastically different fighting styles. While Dawon draws on his strength, Taeyang relies on his unrivalled agility, and their duel looks almost like a dance.

 

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Forever inquisitive, Chani frowns as Dawon advances with quick, harsh strokes, forcing Taeyang to take a defensive stance, “The guy in bronze armour’s gonna kill the other guy.” _What a gift it was, innocence._ Hwiyoung smiles at his protege fondly, “Not at all, my money’s on Taeyang- the guy in silver armour- actually.”

 

Sure enough, Taeyang recovers quickly by ducking under Dawon’s blade, pointing the tip of his sword to Dawon’s neck in one swift motion. “Wow, he’s really good,” Chani exclaims, touching his own neck. “Yeah, he’s one of the best fighters in camp,” Hwiyoung nearly glows with pride for his friend, “He practises really hard since he doesn’t want anyone to underestimate him- just an Aphrodite kid thing, I guess.”

 

“Aphrodite? What’s so special about that?” Chani’s confused expression turns to one of understanding as Taeyang takes off his face guard and pushes his hair back, “He’s so pretty, Hwiyoung.” “Yeah, he tends to have that effect on people,” Hwiyoung can’t help but laugh at Chani’s lovestruck face, clearly overcome by what he liked to call the Taeyang Effect.

 

With long-lashed doe eyes, high cheekbones and a statue-like figure, his best friend was easily the best looking guy in camp, often compared to The Adonis himself. Despite his physical attractiveness, Taeyang was humble, kind and never used his beauty to manipulate other people, which was why he was Hwiyoung’s best friend.

 

“Let’s go, lover boy,” Hwiyoung places a gentle hand on Chani’s back to guide him away from the arena, the other boy’s eyes firmly glued to Taeyang, “It’ll wear off soon.” Engaged in conversation, Taeyang and Dawon show no sign of noticing their departure, and Hwiyoung has to bite back a sigh. Those two would probably deny their feelings for each other until young Chani had grandchildren, which was quite frustrating for Hwiyoung and about forty other campers who were just as invested in Taeyang’s love life.

 

“Wow, I don’t know what came over me,” Taeyang’s magic wears off as they head towards the strawberry fields as Chani shakes his head like a wet dog. “Told you,” Hwiyoung laughs as they trot merrily along the grassy path, “There are about fifty campers who stay here year-round, but during summer we house up to a hundred demigods.”

 

The corner of Chani’s lips twitches,”The gods sure stay busy, huh?” “They sure do,” Hwiyoung answers with a smile of his own,”The fact that they can coexist in different places at the same time doesn’t help too.” The strawberry fields are pretty much empty save for a few satyrs who lounge at the edge of the fields. Johnny, the tallest of the camp satyrs, waves at them as they draw close, his long hair swaying from side to side as he stands up.

 

“He- is that real?” Chani, who’s probably never seen a satyr in his life, mutters faintly as Rowoon walks towards them. “No, he’s wearing a weave,” Rowoon answers, drop-dead serious as he points to Johnny’s hair, and Hwiyoung elbows him lightly,”Be serious, Chani’s like, a baby.”

 

“He’s a satyr: half-human, half-goat,” Rowoon supplies to a mortified Chani, “They help bring new demigods to camps- ones that we can track, at least. You guys ready to see Chiron?” Chani still looks panicked, but he nods and allows the two campers to bring him to the Big House.

 

Hwiyoung remembers being in the same position, the dread and anxiety he felt back then, so he catches up to Chani, giving him a supportive side-hug. “Don’t worry, bro,” He says to a wide-eyed Chani, “Chiron’s chill, and you can catch dinner later at my table? If you don’t want to have dinner alone, that is.”

 

“Sure, I really appreciate it, dude,” Chani seems slightly overwhelmed by Hwiyoung’s friendliness, but his smile is genuine as they walk up the porch steps together. “Careful,” Rowoon holds the door for them as they porch lights flicker on,”Hongki just woke up from a nap- you know how he gets.”

 

“Who’s Hongki? A hydra?” Chani quips with a wry grin, and Hwiyoung can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of his chest,”No, he’s a golden retriever, he’s turning ninety-nine soon.”

 

“In dog years?” “No, in human years.” Overhearing their conversation, Rowoon grins as well,”Oh, Chani- you’ll fit in just fine.”

 

\----

 

 **Inseong** hates hosting campfires.

 

Ever since Kihyun from Apollo left camp to go to college in Chicago, the new head counsellor Baek Juho had traumatized the campers with his shrill, offbeat singing until an anonymous petition to remove Juho from the duty had been signed by every camper. (something tells Inseong that Juho himself was the one who started the petition.)

 

Eventually, the campers came up with a solution which decreed that cabin counsellors were to share the duty, and even though Inseong only had to do it once a fortnight, he disliked leading the cringey campfire songs. Most campers tend to get sick of the songs about two weeks in, and five-year camper Inseong has a deep, deep hatred for the sing-along session.

 

As a resourceful child of Athena, Inseong usually drags out the part of the nightly campfire where he reads out announcements, boring campers (generally not a difficult task, since most demigods were ADHD and pretty bad at staying focused) so they won’t notice when Inseong cuts down the song list.

 

Campers arrive in twos and threes, clustering around the golden campfire as Inseong strums a few lazy melodies on his guitar. Even though music isn’t his strongest suit, he still takes pride in his ability to carry a decent tune, and it’s satisfying to see delighted smiles as he sings along to a popular Ed Sheeran song.

 

“Let’s begin,” Inseong sets down his guitar as Chiron approaches- the centaur turns his nose up at every musician who isn’t Frank Sinatra, and he has no interest in engaging in a long-winded debate about Ed Sheeran’s artistry with his mentor. “The pairings for Capture the Flag have been decided, and the game will be held in a month’s time.”

 

Amidst the excited cheers and murmurs of the campers, there’s a smaller, confused voice,”What’s Capture the Flag?” Inseong looks towards the direction of the voice- Ah, it’s Kang Chani, the Zeus kid who gave the whole camp a hearty scare two weeks ago, when his father claimed him by destroying a tree with a lightning bolt. He’s adorable, eyes round and bright as he stares back at Inseong.

 

As the helpful counsellor he is, Inseong gives Chani a kind smile- Zeus kids tended to be temperamental, but they made excellent allies during war games,”Well, young Chani, campers will split up into two teams. Each team hides their own flag, and the first team that takes the opposite side’s flag and crosses the river in the middle of the forest wins.”

 

Over by the Hermes bunch, Rowoon pipes in helpfully,”We use real weapons to fight, and there's going to be real monsters lurking around, so it's good practise.” Face illuminated by the campfire, Chani visibly gulps, and Inseong can’t help but smile. _New kids were just the cutest._

 

“Don’t worry, kiddo,” Inseong laughs as Chani nods slowly, “You’ll be big and strong in no time after our Spartan training! Plus, powers aren’t off limits-” “Hurry up, Inseong!” Some dolt from Ares shouts, and Inseong pauses his lecture to give him a nasty glare. _Someone_ would soon find his favourite sword covered with a powerful Chinese sneeze powder as a result of that awful attitude.

 

“Fine, we’ll move on to the teams now, since some people have the patience of a Minotaur,” Inseong sniffs indignantly as he pulls out the list of teams. Hwiyoung from Dionysus seems to be filling Chani in on the rules of the game, so Inseong figures he’ll do fine without further pointers. “Apollo, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Zeus, Hephaestus, Tyche and Hecate are on the red team, while Athena, Hermes, Nike, Demeter, Hypnos, Nemesis, Hebe, Iris and Ares are on blue.”

 

Prone to changing form according to the mood of campers, the campfire shoots a blast of golden flames sky high as both cheers and groans erupt simultaneously. Taeyang from Aphrodite looks sullen as Dawon from Hephaestus pulls him into a side hug, whooping loudly,”Dude, we’re on the same team!”

 

Inseong looks on with a watchful eye as Taeyang ducks out of Dawon’s embrace delicately, trying and failing to hide an exasperated yet endeared grin. According to Inseong’s calculations (they were almost never wrong) they were the perfect couple and would probably get together in the next month.

 

 _Ah, young love…_ Inseong’s creepy staring is quite rudely erupted by a cry from the Ares cabin. “Look out, Apollo!” Cabin counsellor Oh Seungseok yells, backed up by his equally battle-thirsty siblings, “We’re going to get back at you guys for breaking our chariot last time!” Seongseok’s a decent guy, despite his impulsiveness. He’s also (surprisingly) strategic, as compared to his dimwitted siblings, so Inseong thinks the Ares-Athena combo would make an exciting game to win.

 

“Now, now,” As Juho shouts back, never one to back down from a challenge, Inseong decides it's time to step in, “Save the name-calling for the real battle, guys- there’s gonna be plenty of time for catfights after our team wins.” As expected, Juho and the other red team campers turn their attention to him, boasting of their far superior game tactics and calling Inseong colourful names like ‘Medusa’s bootlicker’, while the Ares campers complain about the Athena cabin taking credit for everything again. It’s kind of a mess, but Inseong finds pleasure in starting drama for no apparent reason.

 

Heaving his guitar to his hip, Inseong grins at the campers, who are either glaring at him or deep in discussion with their cabin mates, “It’s time for everyone’s favourite song- I Am My Own Great-Great-Great-Great Grandpa!”

 

\------

 

 **Juho** squints at Taeyang from the other side of the arts and crafts centre, “You’re making another pot? Don’t you already have like, ten of those?” Technically, the centre is supposed to be a no-noise area, but the only other person in the centre is Inseong, who’s weaving with earphones in, and Juho’s tired of waiting for his painting to dry.

 

“Shut up,” Taeyang mutters, eyes not leaving his potter’s wheel as he pulls his clay into a slimmer shape, “It’s a gift for my grandmother.” Abandoning his painting, Juho sets down his palette and scampers to Taeyang’s seat, squatting next to his friend in a manner he knows that will surely annoy him, “Doesn’t she already have hundreds of those?”

 

Lips pursed in concentration, Taeyang doesn’t spare Juho a glance as he cuts his piece off from the clay hump using string, finally letting out a relieved sigh as he carefully moves his vase onto a ware board to dry, “And you’re on your twentieth Naruto painting, but you don’t see me saying anything about that.”

 

“Hey!” Juho squawks as he smacks Taeyang on his gloved forearm, “This one’s Naruto as a demigod, so it's technically a camp-related painting.” “Yeah, right,” Taeyang snorts, slipping off his clay-covered apron as Juho walks back to his easel to add the finishing touches to his artwork. He only has to add some more brilliant sun rays in the background of the painting to finish it, since no art was complete without the abstraction of his father.

 

Peeling off his clay-stained gloves, Taeyang washes his hands carefully before coming to sit by Juho’s side. Since they trained with different campers, arts and crafts was generally the only time the two could hang out together.

 

Painting a light sheen on Naruto’s head, Juho steps back to admire his work. Maybe he’ll mail this one to his dad, who had recently developed a newfound fascination with anime. Even Taeyang, camp half-blood’s certified art snob, regards the painting with an air of approval, “It’s good, but I don’t think Lord Apollo would approve of Naruto as his son.”

 

“Nonsense,” Juho says as he places his masterpiece on a rack to dry, “You, on the other hand, should probably worry about getting Aphrodite to agree to your relationship with a certain son of Hephaestus-” “Shut up, bro,” Taeyang grunts, looking like he’s about to sit on Juho’s wet painting for giggles, “He doesn't like me that way.”

 

“And I’m the greatest singer camp has ever seen,” Juho drones satirically. He’d always thought Taeyang was either blind or stupid for not noticing Dawon’s feelings, but Juho was starting to suspect that his dear friend was blind AND stupid instead. “He likes you and you like him- what are you waiting for? A sign from the gods?”

 

“It’s not that simple,” Taeyang frowns, picking at a dried bit of clay on his elbow. Out of the corner of his eye, Juho notices Inseong take out his earphones- truly a brother in the noble profession of #Dawoyang shipping. Juho waits patiently for Taeyang to elaborate, but his friend remains silent as he washes his brushes under the sink,”And? Why is it not?”

 

“I- I don’t know, bro, it just isn’t,” Taeyang shrugs, and Inseong puts his earphones back in as Juho sighs, “We’re all here for you if you wanna talk, remember? And no camper would ever pressure you into doing anything you don’t want.”

 

“It’s just complicated,” Ever taciturn, Taeyang offers a curt answer before he turns his attention to a tray of periwinkle yarn, and Juho has to suppress a sigh. Even little Samuel, his 8-year-old half-sibling, had noticed something odd between the two long ago, who were thick as thieves one instant and arch nemeses the other.

 

“Whatever you say, Taeyangie,” Wiping his hands dry, Juho ruffles Taeyang’s hair in a brotherly fashion, “Wanna go on a pegsi ride?” “Sure, just let me clean up,” Taeyang nods, patting Juho’s cheek, an affectionate gesture he’s picked up since over years. Although they aren’t as close as Taeyang and his self-proclaimed soulmate Hwiyoung, Juho and Taeyang still share a special bond since they arrived at camp together- being confused and scared side by side really made for a splendid ice-breaking exercise.

 

Juho hums (off-key, since his merciless father had cruelly stripped him of any musical ability and had only gifted him with unparalleled marksmanship) lightly as Taeyang tidies up his sculpting tools. Inseong’s tapestry is turning out beautiful, much like everything the elder makes, and Juho’s mouth hangs open in awe as he crafts a vibrant picture of Mount Olympus. Near the door-

 

Wait- near the door? Juho blinks as he discovers a newcomer who's hovering near the door- Dawon's hunched near the door, presumably at the centre to check on his marble statue of Michael Jackson. It’s crafted splendidly, and Juho’s about to greet Dawon and commend him on his spectacular work as his gaze lands on Taeyang, oblivious to his crush’s arrival with his back turned.

 

A scene from his favourite shoujo manga flashes in Juho’s mind, and a light bulb goes on in his supersized genius brain. This would no doubt fix Taeyang’s confusing love life and sail everyone’s favourite ship. Gods, Juho was just so intelligent.

 

“Taeyang?” Juho calls, loud enough for Dawon to hear. Taeyang mutters something that sounds like a yes, so Juho takes it as a cue to stride across the room and cup his friend’s face in his hands. “Dude, what-” Taeyang gazes up at Zuho in confusion, two seconds away from busting out some epic body combat moves.

 

“You have something on your face,” Holding Taeyang firmly (Juho knows he has some sick ass muscles, and Inseong would flip if they started a brawl in the crafts centre), Juho wipes away a speck of imaginary dirt on his face in a position which would definitely look shady from an outsider’s perspective. When he releases Taeyang from his grasp, Dawon is gone without a trace.

 

“Dude, what the fuck,” Taeyang scowls at Juho, wiping his hands on his jeans, “That was so awkward.” “Sorry, Taeyang,” Juho shrugs cheerfully, unaffected by Taeyang’s glower, “Let’s go ride some ponies.” With misunderstanding came jealousy, and a jealous Dawon would definitely confess to Taeyang, and finally- the ship of the decade would sail, thanks to Juho’s hard work.

 

Juho hides a grin behind a moody Taeyang as they troop outside the centre. Taeyang would soon thank him for bringing a miracle to his love life, and he’ll become famous as Love Doctor Juho, the best demigod matchmaker in existence.

 

\-----

 

In all eighteen years of his life, **Rowoon** has never once imagined being a father, and has never envisioned a future where he would be one as most demigods die young. Yet, as he trails after Chani and Hwiyoung, the duo chattering gleefully about one thing or another, he truly feels like a dad looking after his kids.

 

As a senior counsellor, it was Rowoon’s duty to train Chani to become a warrior in preparation of the upcoming Capture the Flag game and future missions, since the only occupant of the Zeus cabin had no counsellor to look to. Hwiyoung had tagged along, claiming that his cabin leader Dongsung spent most of his time being drunk instead of teaching fight techniques, and that he just happened to need a new weapon.

 

Dongsung had looked decisively sober at every cabin counsellor meeting, but who was Rowoon to reject Hwiyoung’s sparkly puppy dog eyes?

 

“Alright, kids, here we are!” Rowoon stops outside the huge shed behind the Athena cabin, unlocking the rusty metal door with specially borrowed keys. The door creaks open slowly, and Rowoon welcomes the younger campers in with a graceful sweep of his arm as though he’s performing a magic trick.

 

“In you go, younglings! Pick whatever really speaks to you- is it a a dagger? A bow and arrows? The answer lies in you!” Rowoon winks at Chani, who looks overwhelmed by the wide selection of weapons. Hwiyoung, on the other hand, delves into the dagger chest feverishly, digging here and there like a puppy in a sandpit.

 

Rowoon’s about to assist Chani, who’s spaced out staring at a neat row of bows and quivers, but then he hears voices just outside the shed. Never one to stay away from gossip, he sneaks to the entrance of the shed, hiding behind the heavy metal door as he eavesdrops on the conversation.

 

“Hey, you said we needed to talk?” It’s Taeyang, but he sounds oddly coy, with a playful tint to his tone. _Was he flirting?_ Rowoon’s eyes go wide- this was exceptional tea, he never thought the most thirsted after bachelor in the camp would express romantic attraction towards… well, anyone.

 

“Yeah, we do,” Rowoon’s interest deflates slightly as he identifies the other speaker as Dawon. _Of course, it was him._ Everyone in camp half-blood, even the nymphs in the lake who seldom showed themselves above surface, knew about the chemistry the two shared. Rowoon, along with many other campers, failed to understand why the two weren’t together- they were so obviously into each other and would make a handsome couple.

 

“Are you… seeing anyone?” Dawon sounds somewhat dejected, and Rowoon can picture his face, brown eyes wide and imploring. “What, I’m looking at you right now, is that what you meant?” Taeyang’s voice, melodic and charming, makes Rowoon’s knees weak, banging against the door as he nearly falls.

 

Thankfully, Dawon and Taeyang show no sign of noticing his presence, and Rowoon slaps a hand over his mouth. Taeyang’s love magic was too powerful, slipping out even when he wasn’t deliberately using it to befuddle his foes.

 

“I- That’s not what I meant, but thanks for the attention,” Dawon sounds breathless, seemingly in a dazed state from Taeyang’s charm, and Rowoon crosses his fingers silently for a confession. “Would you ever consider me as an option, then?”

 

 _It’s happening!_ Rowoon screams silently behind his palm, praying extra hard to Aphrodite for the success of Dawon’s sort-of confession. But there’s an uncomfortable pause of silence before Taeyang chuckles awkwardly,”Dude, it’s not you, but I’m just not interested in a relationship-”

 

“So Juho’s an exception?” Dawon’s voice is unnaturally calm, with a simmering undertone of bitterness, and Rowoon has to clamp his other hand over his mouth to keep himself from making weird noises. _Since when was Juho part of the equation?_

 

“Juho? What, no?” Ditching his composed demeanour for once, Taeyang stutters, apparently as confused as Rowoon. “I thought we were like, friends on a good day, so why are you lying?” Dawon asks, sounding like he’s about to break into the armoury and whack Taeyang over the head with a celestial bronze club. Rowoon holds onto the door firmly- no fight was breaking out on his watch.

 

“You break my heart every day, Yoo Taeyang,” Dawon concludes sadly when there’s no response from Taeyang, “I really thought we could at least be friends, but it’s clearly not working.” There’s footsteps as Dawon leaves the scene, and Rowoon’s heart drops to his feet. _This was the exact opposite of how things were supposed to turn out._

 

“You ain’t shit, Lee Dawon,” Taeyang grits, voice steady but loud enough for Dawon to hear him, “I’d never choose you, even if you were the last person on planet Earth.” _This was not good,_ Rowoon feels faint as Taeyang stomps away in the opposite direction, evidently fuming.

 

“Rowoon?” Chani peers at Rowoon curiously, a silver blade in hand, “You okay? You’ve been hunched over for ages.” “I’m good.” Rowoon straightens, meeting eyes with Hwiyoung, who’s wielding a celestial bronze knife, “But Taeyang and Dawon aren’t. Let me tell you what just happened-”

 

\-----

 

 **Youngbin** loves the forge. As the senior counsellor of the Hephaestus cabin, he’s probably obligated to do so, but it’s true- the constant clanking of the machines calm him down, and he’s never gone a day in camp without feeling the comforting heat of the workshop.

 

Contrary to common belief, it’s not only Hephaestus kids who frequent the forge. Inseong and his siblings from Athena visit often, and Ares kids like Seungseok drop by from time to time too, even though they seem to be better at wreaking havoc than crafting fine weapons.

 

Even still, Hwiyoung from Dionysus is a rare visitor. “Hey, hyung,” Hwiyoung calls as he enters the forge with a baby-faced boy in tow. “Oh, Hwiyoungie!” Youngbin wipes his grease-stained hands on a washcloth as he waves at the newcomers, “You looking for anyone?”

 

Youngbin had been friends with Hwiyoung for about two years now, despite their age gap and the fact that their schedules rarely overlapped, ever since Hwiyoung had saved him from being stabbed in the chest by Jaeyoon during a game of Capture the Flag. Even though being saved by grapevines was kinda humiliating, he had since learnt to never underestimate Dionysus kids and struck up a pleasant friendship with the other boy.

 

“Nope,” Hwiyoung grins as Youngbin tears his eyes from the shield he’s hammering into shape. “Just showing Chani around, we won’t get in anyone’s way though!” “Oh, Chani!, is it? Pleased to meet you.” Youngbin smiles at the new Zeus kid, who beams back shyly. He’s cute, and Youngbin offers to make him a cool weapon before sending them on their way and turning his focus back to the shield.

 

Youngbin’s using hand shears to cut out the shape of the shield when someone else calls his name,”Youngbin?” “Just a moment, Hwiyoung- hold on,” He answers without looking up, holding his breath until he cuts the shield free. But when he looks up, the face that greets him belongs to Dawon instead.

 

“Hey, you’re here,” He greets his brother with both enthusiasm and surprise. Despite his lineage, Dawon seldom went down to the forge since he liked battling on the frontlines more than working behind the scenes. “Do you need anything?”

 

As Youngbin reaches for a grinder to round the edges of the shield, Dawon shakes his head and plops onto a stray stool instead. It’s weird that the normally hyperactive Dawon is visiting the forge and not speaking much, so Youngbin approaches him tentatively,”Is anything bothering you?”

 

“I had a fight with Taeyang, and it’s all my fault,” Dawon’s voice is sombre as he recounts his fight with Taeyang. Youngbin makes short responses here and there until Dawon’s done, and he fixes Dawon a fresh glass of lemonade with the Drinks Machine Model 3.4 (it lets you choose the temperature, sweetness and ingredients of the drink and only blows up once every three weeks!) after he puts the shield through the sheet metal roller to create a slight curve in it.

 

Dawon looks about five, seated next to Youngbin’s work table and sipping on his lemonade. An urge to protect his brother rises inside him, and he hands the half-finished shield to his sister Seola to finish before walking over to comfort Dawon.

 

“I just feel so terrible, Youngbin,” Dawon’s eyes are sullen as Youngbin wraps an arm around his shoulders, “He probably thinks I only hang out with him because he’s pretty and I want to date him, and that’s not true.” “I know that’s not,” Youngbin pats his brother gently. “We all know.”

 

It was a mystery, how these two were so oblivious to each other’s feelings, and his heart broke at the sight of his jovial brother, crushed by a fight with the boy he liked.

 

“I mean, of course, Taeyang’s super handsome,” Dawon says, burying his face in his hands, “But he’s also smart and gentle and brilliant and probably the best person ever. I’d rather jump into lava than lose him as a friend.” Youngbin struggles to find the right words to say as Dawon hiccups sadly-he’s always been better with machines than people,“Then why don't you just tell him that?”

 

“I can’t,” Dawon slumps to the table, much to Youngbin’s mortification- there were virtually no clean surfaces in the forge, “He’s going to hate me forever, and that’s all because I tried to ask him about Juho.” “What about Juho?” Youngbin asks as he straightens Dawon with some difficulty, his brother flopping bonelessly in his arms. He wasn’t close with the son of Apollo, but he dropped by occasionally for bronze arrows and was pretty chill most of the time.

 

“Taeyang’s dating Juho, I think,” Dawon mutters, and a YIKES alarm goes off in Youngbin’s head. In that case, he’d have to give Juho wooden arrows painted bronze instead. “Why so?” He prods lightly, not wanting to further upset Dawon.

 

“I saw them when I went to arts and crafts to pick up the Michael Jackson statue- you know, the one you said Dad would smite me for if he saw it?” Youngbin did, in fact, remember. “When I was outside the centre, they were doing this.” Dawon subsequently twists Youngbin’s face until they’re in a compromising position. “Ouch,” Youngbin groans, and Dawon lets go of him, visibly crestfallen.

 

“Maybe it was another person with Taeyang? I heard Ten dyed his hair blond recently,” Youngbin offers, belatedly realising that insinuating that Taeyang was shacking up with a satyr wasn’t the best way to comfort his brother.

 

“I don’t know, it’s not any of my business anyway,” Dawon shrugs, defeated, and all Youngbin can do is hold his brother close,”Don’t worry, little brother- you’ll fix things with him. That’s what we Hephaestus kids do best, remember?”

 

Dawon offers a shaky laugh, and Youngbin strokes his back, counting that as a small victory.

 

\----

 

 **Hongki** barks as he bounds down the stairs of the Big House. His owner, Chiron, had kicked him out because he had some important meeting with Hermes, and apparently their conversation was not fit for dog ears.

 

 _Fine_ , Hongki thinks as he sniffs. He’ll just go down to the mess hall, where the cleaning harpies would feed him scraps from lunch. Being a camp favourite, Hongki gets a handful of pats as he makes his way there, stopping once in a while to sniff at wildflowers and chase after butterflies.

 

Following a particularly attractive butterfly with orange spots, Hongki somehow finds himself at the canoe lake. The weather is great, sunny with a gentle breeze, so campers are canoeing and swimming, enjoying the lovely spring day. Hongki eyes them with disdain- he’d rather not get his paws wet, thank you very much.

 

It’s only natural that he pads towards the lone camper sitting under the shade, looking for pats and hopefully, treats. To Hongki’s delight, the camper is extraordinarily handsome, with sharp features and wide eyes with thick lashes. His paws move at mach speed until he reaches him, flopping into the camper’s lap like a heavy rug.

 

“O-oh, hi Hongki,” The camper strokes Hongki’s head gently, and he sighs in pleasure. “I’m Taeyang.” _Taeyang seems nice and kind, so why is he sitting alone on such a fine day?_ Hongki can’t help but wonder as he nuzzles the camper’s hand for treats.

 

As if hearing Hongki’s thoughts, Taeyang starts mumbling to himself softly, “I feel terrible, Hongki- I hurt someone who’s dear to me.” _Oh, gossip?_ Ears perked up in interest, Hongki rolls around so Taeyang can rub his belly, and the camper does a marvellous job, stroking his tummy with soft, even strokes.

 

“I really should've been kinder to Dawon, things wouldn’t be so terrible if I just manned up and explained, right?” Taeyang murmurs as Hongki rumbles happily. Screw Chiron and his anti-dog behaviour, maybe Taeyang should adopt him instead. “But I’m scared, Hongki. I don’t think I’ll ever be brave to date anyone, just because Mother’s never going to let me hear the end of it.”

 

Hongki lets Taeyang scratch his neck next, leaning against his thigh as he closes his eyes. _Ah, afternoon snoozes were simply divine._ “She has such high expectations of me for no reason, always saying I’m going to break many hearts in those goddamn dreams, and I hate the idea of being the stereotypical Aphrodite kid, who just acts pretty and ditzy and breaks hearts,” Taeyang near spits, tone filled with loathing.

 

 _Oh, young boys were always so dramatic for no reason,_ Hongki props his head on Taeyang’s arm, giving him a comforting lick. “I’ve talked to Hwiyoung about this, but he seems adamant that the only way for me to fix our relationship is to talk to Dawon,” Taeyang seems to appreciate the gesture, ruffling Hongki’s head fondly, “I don’t know, Hongki, is that the right thing to do?”

 

Hongki barks, because does this demigod think he’s a magic 8 ball or something? He’s a dog, not Hestia’s Agony Aunt Advice Column. If Taeyang was looking for an animal to talk to, he’d have more fun with that stuffed fool Seymour in Chiron’s office, even though the leopard was significantly less cute.

 

“I should at least apologise for being a bitch to him, right?” Taeyang gives Hongki a small smile as he rubs his ears, “Things will turn out alright in the end, they always do.” Again, Hongki was not clairvoyant, or else he would be a circus sensation in Miami instead of an idler in this shabby demigod camp, so he only offers another lofty bark.

 

“You’re right,” Taeyang sighs, patting Hongki’s back lightly as he stands up and dusts off his jeans,”I think I’ll do it, actually talk to him and try to figure things out. Thanks for your company, Hongki, I’ll bring you some treats next time.” After one last ruffle, Taeyang’s gone.

 

Hongki reclines under the tree for some moments, just in case Taeyang’s playing a game of hide-and-seek with him, but when the sun slowly sets and Taeyang shows no sign of reappearing, Hongki yawns and trots back to the Big House. Maybe Hermes would have some dog treats ready.

 

\-----

 

 **Jaeyoon** grins as he pops a ripe strawberry into his mouth, a tangy sweetness exploding in his mouth as he chews. This batch of strawberries were one of the best, and he already had baskets of the brilliant rubies next to him, a satisfying reward for his hard work.

 

Deciding to leave some strawberries for the younger campers to pick, Jaeyoon places the final basket on the trolley, ready to be loaded into boxes for the camp’s alias, Delphi’s Strawberry Service. It’s an exceptionally sunny day, perfect for gardening, and the son of Demeter hums a cheery tune as he joins his brother further down the fields.

 

Chulmin’s busy filling a small hole with soil, pressing down firmly to avoid any air bubbles. As Chulmin reaches for his elephant-shaped watering can, Jaeyoon squints,”Are you planting another grapefruit tree? Remember how the last one turned out?”

 

“Jaeyoon, this one will turn out fine,” Chulmin insists with a bright smile, as he allows the water to set before backfilling with more soil, “I’ve spent ages working on how to care for one properly, and I’ve been pouring magic into it the whole time.” “Plants don’t work that way, you can’t just put magic into them and call it a day,” Jaeyoon sighs, fighting the urge to hit Chulmin over the head with his pruners.

 

He’s about to further chide Chulmin for planting a tree in a strawberry field, the absolute madman, but then Taeil wanders over, reed pipes in hand. “Taeil!” Chulmin cheers once he catches sight of the satyr, “Can you work some of your woodland magic, please?”

 

“Sure thing, Chulmin- another grapefruit tree? Yum, I love grapefruit,” Taeil jogs over, goat hooves nimble as he dodges the strawberry bushes. Jaeyoon groans,”Please don’t encourage him, one of these days he’ll think of planting mandrakes from Harry Potter.”

 

“That’s not true!” Chulmin protests feebly as Taeil puts his reed pipes to his lips, playing Shinee’s Sherlock. Almost instantly, a tiny green sprout emerges from the soil, much to Chulmin’s delight.

 

Taeil’s tune attracts a curious bunch- Mark, another satyr, trots over carrying his own flute, and Dawon wanders over as well. “Hey, Dawon,” Jaeyoon greets as Mark joins in, huffing and puffing on his flute, “Out enjoying the sun?”

 

“Yeah, I guess,” Dawon shrugs as he squats down next to Chulmin, peering at the sprout that would someday grow into a strong grapefruit tree. Jaeyoon gives him a look- word had spread around camp about Dawon’s fight with Taeyang, and although he was friends with both of them, he had not gotten wind of any of the details- which, in turn, put Jaeyoon in an awkward position, since he didn’t know whose side to take and how to comfort either of them.

 

So Jaeyoon tends to his lettuce patch instead, sprinkling lightly as Doyoung the satyr sings it a lilting lullaby. Dawon wanders next to him after a while, and Jaeyoon instructs him to spread organic mulch on the patch in preparation for the summer heat. Gardening seems to be a good way for Dawon to take his mind off things and relax, and Jaeyoon wouldn’t mind an apprentice-

 

“Dawon?” Taeyang’s arrived without getting the attention of any of them, and Jaeyoon nearly suffers a heart attack as he freezes, watching the disaster unfold. While he was a passable archer and held a red belt in karate (much to his mortal stepmother’s chagrin, since she thought it was a waste of his potential not to advance to the black belt), he had never been good at solving disagreements.

 

Clutching his gardening spade to his chest, Jaeyoon tries to say something to keep the two from interacting, but all that comes out is an embarrassing squeak. The satyrs seem uncomfortable as well, exchanging uneasy looks as Dawon stands up and greets Taeyang with a poker face,”Hey. Taeyang.”

 

 _Why does it have to be me,_ Jaeyoon despairs as he locks eyes with Chulmin, who looks equally terrified. The duo had plenty of mutual friends, so why did their inevitable confrontation have to happen at Jaeyoon’s precious cabbage patch? Replanting the lettuce would take so much time, not to mention money, and Jaeyoon’s heart bleeds for his poor innocent plants who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

“Sorry to interrupt, but are you free to talk right now?” Taeyang asks, eyes wide with guilt and pleading. Jaeyoon can’t see Dawon’s face, but his fingers are visibly trembling as he puts down his gardening spade. “Sure, I guess, I’d like to apologize to you too.”

 

It takes Jaeyoon a look from Dawon to realise that they’ve all gone silent in favour of spectating the tense conversation in front of them. “Right!” He yelps, picking up the spade Dawon set down, “Let’s get back to work, guys- Dawon, you go ahead, we’ll do fine.” “Thanks, Jaeyoon,” Dawon spares Jaeyoon a quirk of his lips as he walks away with Taeyang, the elder nearly collapsing with relief as soon as the two are out of earshot.

 

“Dude, I really thought they were about to duke it out on the cabbages,” Chulmin comments as he takes several deep breaths, “Do you think they’re gonna be fine?” The satyrs launch into a beautiful rendition of Justin Bieber’s Boyfriend, and Jaeyoon’s lips find their way into a smile.

 

“Everything’s going to all right, grasshopper,” Jaeyoon wipes his hands on his gardening apron before ruffling Chulmin’s hair, “Not including your grapefruit tree, though- it’s not a fan of Bieber-”

 

And as Chulmin squawks and reaches for more dirt, Jaeyoon chuckles quietly to himself- Dawon and Taeyang were going to pull through, he had never seen better soulmates- and if they didn’t, Jaeyoon didn’t want to believe in love anymore.

 

\------

 

 **Chan** i ties his shoelaces on his bed as he gets ready for his first Capture the Flag game. It’s been a little over a month since he first arrived at camp half-blood, and he’s actually settling in quite well, contrary to his expectations. Chiron had welcomed him kindly after his initial shock, and the campers had been nothing but welcoming, even though Chani’s dad did wreck a tree with a thunderbolt at the nightly campfire.

 

The cabin still felt lonely sometimes, feeling more like a temple than a home with the giant Zeus statue, his piercing eyes following Chani everywhere in the room. The lack of furniture also made life slightly difficult, but he had his trusty overnight bag, and Rowoon had acquired (stolen?) a fold-up bed for him so he didn’t have to sleep on the cold marble floor.

 

And of course, Chani had enjoyed adapting to the lifestyle of a demigod. Classes about gods and monsters were strangely fascinating, and he seldom nodded off during class, unlike lessons at his former high school, most of which he slept through. Training for battle was a formidable challenge at the beginning, but Rowoon was a patient teacher, while Hwiyoung cheered him on constantly.

 

Mastering his godly powers took a toll, but Chani tried his best in special training sessions with Chiron, and could now summon thunderbolts on occasion. Granted, they were weak and flickered a great deal, and could probably fry no more than an ant, but Chani felt proud of the small progress he had made nevertheless.

 

Ever the filial son, Chani made a phone call to his mum about two weeks into life at camp, and had spent most of the call trying to comfort her, since she was weeping hard in relief. Between sobs, his mother finally told him the story of her meeting Zeus and falling in love with him, which Chani received with both understanding and childish disgust. Even though Chiron forbade campers from using the camp’s only phone frequently, Chani promised to Iris message his mum as much as possible, which made her smile amidst their tearful farewell.

 

At present, Chani does a light jog around the bare room, butterflies jittering in his stomach at the prospect of fighting other campers. He’s not too bad at using his silver sword, but he’s afraid that he’ll freak out in real battle and pass out in minutes, bringing shame to not only himself but also the mighty Zeus.

 

“Dad?” Chani stands in front of the marble statue, fearsome and immobile as its blank eyes stare back. “I- I know we haven’t met before, but I’d like to thank you for guiding me to camp, y’know. It feels like I belong, for once, and I’m happy here with the other demigods-” He pauses there, because he’s never been well versed in conversation, especially one with a statue.

 

“I’m a bit scared for the game later,” Chani eventually settles on admitting his fear, crossing his fingers that Zeus wouldn’t get mad and randomly decide to electrocute his coward of a son. “But I’ll try my best and use everything I’ve got to win.” Struck by an impulse, Chani closes his eyes in a short prayer for his team and the blue team campers as well, and feels surprisingly calmer once he cracks his eyes open.

 

“Thanks, dad,” He whispers, looking up at the stony (ha) face of his father. To his surprise, there’s a silver bracelet on Zeus’ shoulder, one that he’s pretty sure wasn’t there before he closed his eyes. Fingers trembling, he reaches over to pick up the bracelet- it feels cold between his fingers, but nothing too special. Did the lord of the sky hate Chani’s fashion sense so much that he felt the need to mail him a snazzy bracelet?

 

“Hey, you done? We’re assembling at the forest outskirts right now,” Hwiyoung strides into the cabin without knocking as Chani continues to fiddle with the bracelet,”What are you holding?” Chani presses into a dent on the bracelet, and it suddenly shifts into a gigantic shield, causing Hwiyoung to skitter backwards.

 

“Dude, what the hell?” Hwiyoung says from the ground as Chani grins sheepishly, “Sorry, was just trying this out.” “No way, man- That’s Aegis,” Hwiyoung sounds breathless even when Chani presses the button again, causing the shield to morph back into bracelet form, “The shield Zeus gave to Athena.”

 

“Wait, what- I didn’t know that,” Chani opens up the shield again, inspecting it closely. He recoils as he glances at the exterior of the shield- the face of Medusa (newbie Chani knew that much and that much only about Greek mythology) was printed on it, hideous with her mouth open in a silent scream, the very embodiment of terror. “Wow, Zeus must’ve really wanted you to stay alive if he gave that to you,” Hwiyoung observes as he crawls back up, and Chani deactivates the shield again, feeling much better about his chances of surviving,”Yeah, I guess.”

 

Feeling significantly more energetic, Chani follows Hwiyoung down to the forest clearing, where campers are busy getting fitted in armour and warming up for battle. He joins the red team’s side with Hwiyoung, waving to their allies like Youngbin and Juho. “Just stay aware of your surroundings and don’t be scared of being too aggressive- even if Rowoon’s your opponent,” Hwiyoung advises as they wait for their turns to get into armour. On the other side of the field, Rowoon’s already dressed in blue armour, deep in discussion with counsellors Seungseok and Inseong.

 

“Yeah, bro- let’s get out of the way,” Chani drags Hwiyoung closer to the bushes as a bunch of Hephaestus kids storm by with a legit bronze cannon. They end up sitting near a camouflaged tent as Youngbin hands then chest plates to put on. “Ugh, let’s move behind that tent- the dust is making me cough-” Hwiyoung complains as he straps on his armour, and Chani follows his suggestion, moving around the other campers.

 

“So a kiss if I knock out Juho, deal?” A familiar voice comes from behind the tent as the two make their way around the tent, clutching their armour and weapons. Chani feels his face contort into a frown: Couples? No thanks. But before he can leave the scene, Hwiyoung tugs on his elbow, expression thoughtful as he crouches among some bushes, motioning for Chani to do the same.

 

“Oh, shut up- I’m graciously allowing you to accompany me during the game, isn’t it enough?” Chani’s eyes widen as he registers that the second voice belongs to Taeyang, which meant the first voice was- no way. _Don’t they hate each other?_ Chani mouths to Hwiyoung who seems to be having a silent fit, gasping for air as a smile lights up his face.

 

Hwiyoung and Chani exchange amused yet horrified glances as Dawon and Taeyang emerge, holding hands. Dawon’s blushing as Taeyang pats his cheeks fondly, the pair deep in an intimate conversation in the shadows of the shade.

 

“They’re a cute couple,” Chani admits as they scuttle away in a hurry, not wanting to be spotted. Hwiyoung mimes throwing up, but is betrayed by the bright grin on his face. “You know what, Chani?” Hwiyoung ponders thoughtfully as they go back to affixing their armour,”We might be on the same team, but if I see those two canoodling on the battlefield, I’m stabbing on sight.”

 

Hwiyoung makes a fair point, and the smile on Chani’s face remains until the gong sounds, signalling the start of the game.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading!! kudos and comments are much appreciated <33333
> 
> 20190507


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